1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a silicone polymer material comprising at least one metal trace.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,345 “Method of Metallizing a Substrate” to Christian Belouet, et al. teaches a process for metallizing a substrate, having steps of coating the part with a precursor composite material layer consisting of a polymer matrix doped with photoreducer material dielectric particles; irradiating the surface of the substrate with a laser light beam; and immersing the irradiated part in an autocatalytic bath containing metal ions with deposition of the metal ions in a layer on the irradiated surface, and where the dimension of the dielectric particles is less than or equal to 0.5 micrometers [μm]. The process has three steps. The first step is coating the substrate part with a precursor composite material layer consisting of a polymer matrix doped with photoreducer material dielectric particles. The second step is irradiating the surface of the substrate with a light beam emitted by a laser. The third step is immersing the irradiated part in an autocatalytic bath containing metal ions, with deposition of the metal ions in a layer on the irradiated surface, wherein the dimension of the dielectric particles is less than or equal to 0.5 μm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,592 “Process for the Metallization of Polymer Materials and Products Thereto Obtained” to Lucien D. Laude teaches a positive metallization process for metallizing a polymer composite piece containing a polymer material and oxide particles, having steps where oxide particles are one or more oxides, comprising three successive steps. The first step consists of the irradiation of a surface area of a polymer piece to be metallized with a light beam emitted by an excimer laser. The polymer piece is a polymer material and oxide particles. The oxide particles are one or more oxides. The second step consists of immersing the irradiated polymer piece in at least one autocatalytic bath containing metal ions. Immersion induces the deposit of the metal ions onto the irradiated surface area to form a metal film on the surface area, resulting in the selective metallization of the surface area of the polymer piece. The third step is thermally processing the metallized polymer piece to induce diffusion of the deposited metal film into the polymer material of the polymer piece. U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,592 is incorporated herein by reference.
Lucien D. Laude, et al. report that excimer lasers are effective tools in engraving ceramics and polymers, changing irreversibly the surface of the irradiated material, and restricting these effects to specific areas of interest. See L. D. Laude, K Kolev, C I. Dicara and C. Dupas-Bruzek “Laser Metallization for Microelectronics for Bio-applications”, Proc. of SPIE, vol. 4977 (2003) pp 578-586.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155, “Visual Prosthesis and Method of Using Same” to Mark S. Humayan, et al. teaches a visual prosthesis comprising means for perceiving a visual image, said means producing a visual signal output in response thereto; retinal tissue stimulation means adapted to be operatively attached to a retina of a user; and wireless visual signal communication means for transmitting the visual signal output to the retinal tissue stimulation means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,643 “Electronic Unit integrated Into a Flexible Polymer Body” to Peter A. Krulevitch, et al. teaches a method of fabricating an electronic apparatus, comprising providing a silicone layer on a matrix, providing a metal layer on the silicone layer, providing a second layer of silicone on said silicone layer, providing at least one electronic unit connected to said metal layer, and removing the electronic apparatus from the matrix wherein the silicone layer and the second layer of a silicone provide a spherical silicone body.
J. Delbeke, et al. teach that silicone rubber biocompatibility is not altered by the metallization method. See V. Cince, M. A. Thil, C. Veraart, I. M. Colin and J. Delbeke, “Biocompatibility of Platinum-Metallized Silicone Rubber: In Vivo and In Vitro Evaluation”, J. Biomater. Sci. Polymer Ed, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 173-188 (2004).
There is a need and a high desire for a soft and biocompatible polymer layer with high insulation properties containing embedded very fine metal traces. There is further a need and a high desire for an economical and ecological process of manufacturing such polymer layers.